Wrench



Nov. 27; 1934. N. R. RIVERS 1,982,070

' WRENCH Filed Jan. 18, 1954 Patented Nov. 27, 1934 UNITED? STAJEES afar-Inna? OiFF'l-("lE 2 Claims.

This invention" relates to wrenches; and has for one of its objects the production of a simpleand eflicient'adjustable jaw wrench and means for holding the adjusting jaw in a set-or locked 6 position which means may be readily released {merely by slipping the thumb under the-thumb atch.

A further object of this invention isthe pro-- duction of a simple and efficient latching means for holding'the adjustable jaw in a set position upon the stationary jaw of the wrench.

A still further object of his invention is the production of a simple and efficient latchingmeans which is so constructed as to facilitate the releasing of the latching means merely by forcing the thumb under the thumb latch or latching means so as to release the latching means and permit the latching jaw to be easily moved to an adjusted position.

Other objects and advantages ofthepresent' invention will appear throughout the following specification and claims.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a top plan view of the wrench;

FigureZ is a side elevation of the wrench;

Figure 3 is a side elevation similar to Figure 2 showing the manner of releasing the thumb latch;

Figure 4 is a section taken on line 4-4 of 30- Figure 1;

Figure 5 is a section taken on line 55 of Figure 1;

Figure 6 is a section taken on line 6-6 of Figure 1;

Figure '7 is a perspective view showing the inner face of the stationary jaw;

Figure 8 is a perspective view looking at the inner face of the adjustable jaw; and

Figure 9 is a perspective view looking at the inner face of the thumb latch.

By referring to the drawing, it will be seen that 1 designates the handle of the wrench which is provided with a stationary jaw 2 having a projecting nut-engaging lip 3 at its forward end.

The stationary jaw is provided with a transversely extending locking rib 4 which is substantially dove-tail in crosssection and is provided with a flat outer face 5. This rib 4 is provided with transversely extending grooves which provide thumb latch-engaging teeth 6. The jaw 2 is provided with an abutment shoulder '7 extending transversely thereof in spaced relation to the rib 4 and the lip 3 is also provided with an abut- 55-ment shoulder 8 which is arranged in spaced relation to the opposite sidezof the dove-tail rib? 4 as shown in Figure 7.

A slidable adjusting jaw 9 is slidably momoted upon the dove-tail rib 4 of thestationary jaw by having-thedove-tail transversely extending channel or groove 10 slidably fitted over the dovetail'rib 4, as shown clearlyin Figures 2, 3, and 4.- The side edges of the jaw9-slidably engage I theabutment shoulders 7 and 8 of the stationary jaw-'=2', as shown clearly in Figures 1 and 4. The adjustable-jaw 9 is provided with a nut-engaging lip' 11 which extends substantially parallel to the lip 310i the stationary jaw and the adjustable jaw is'provided with an elongated groove or channel 12 upon its underface extending transversely of the jaw-into which fits a threaded stop pin-13 carriedby' the stationary jaw, the pin 13 being threaded through the aperture 14 formed in the stationary jaw and constituting means for limitingthe' sliding movement'of the adjustable jaw 9- with respect to the stationary jaw 2 and at thesame time preventing the jaws from falling apart when released."

The-adjustable jaw=9-is provided with a longi--' tudinally extending aperture or slot 15 within which slot is pivotally mounted the thumb latch 16, this thumb latch 16 being journaled upon the pin 17, as shown in Figure 5, the pin 1'7 having an enlarged threaded end 18 at one end, which enlarged threaded end 18 is arranged in threaded engagement with the adjustable jaw, as shown. The pin 1'7 spans the slot 15 and extends through the aperture 19 formed in the thumb latch 16. This thumb latch 16 comprises an elongated substantially flat member having a flattened face 20 which face 20 is normally pressed outwardly by means of a coil spring 21 mounted in the socket 22 formed in the adjustable jaw 9 directly under the flattened face 20. The thumb latch 16 is also provided with a series of relatively narrow locking teeth 23 which extend longitudinally of the latch 16, as shown in Figure 9, so as to facilitate the gripping of the teeth 6 of the stationary jaw 4. The teeth 6 formed in the rib 4 interlock with the teeth 13 of the latch 15, as shown in Figure 4, and hold the adjustable jaw in a set or adjusted position, as shown clearly in Figure 5. This thumb latch 16 is also provided with a rearwardly extending thumb engaging lip 25 which lip is spaced away from the face 26 of the stationary jaw 2. The jaw 2 is provided with a curved face 24 directly under the lip 25. This structure will permit an operator to force his thumb nail under the lip 25 to move the latch 16 to the position shown in Figure 3 and draw the teeth 23 out of engagement with the teeth 6 and permit the adjustable jaw to be freely moved and to freely slide upon the stationary jaw 2 to a proper adjusted position.

From the foregoing description, it will be seen that a very simple'and efficient, as well as quickly adjustable wrench has been provided whereby the thumb latch may be easily and conveniently forced to an unlocked position by forcing the thumb nail under the lip 25 when the adjustable jaw may be engaged by the fingers of the operator and easily moved to the desired adjusted position. It is not necessary for the oper ator to tediously endeavor to pick up the latching member should his fingers be greasy, but this structure will permit the release of the thumb latch merely byjwedging the end of the thumb under the lip 25. As shown in the-drawing, particularly in Figure 4, the face 26 ofsthe stationary jaw is preferably slightly concave 'to facilitate the forcing. of the thumb under the tongue 25.

Having described the claimed as new is:

1.- A wrench comprising a handle, a stationary jaw at the front end of said handle consisting of a cross head. extending transversely of the han dle and a nut engaging lip-projecting forwardly from one end portion of the cross head, the cross head having one face formed with a longitudinally extending recess and a rib intermediate the width of the recess, the ribbeing undercut and having rack teeth upon its outer face, an adjustable jaw having a nut engaging lip and a cross head projecting transversely therefrom and extending longitudinally in said recess and formed with a longitudinally extending undercut groove in its inner face slidably receiving said rib, the outer face of the cross head of the adjustable jaw being formed with a transversely extending groove intermediate its length and an opening in the groove exposing a portion of the toothed face of the rib, a latch in said groove pivoted intermediate its ends and having a thickened porinvention, what is tion extending through the opening and formed with teeth for engaging the teeth of the rib and holding the adjustable jaw in a set position, a lip for said latch projecting rearwardly from the adjustable jaw longitudinally of the handle in spaced relation thereto, and a spring seated in a socket formed in the bottom of the groove forwardly of the opening and engaging the forward end portion of the latch to yieldably hold the latch in gripping engagement with the rib.

2. A wrench comprising a stationary jaw having a cross head and a nut engaging lip projecting forwardly therefrom, a handle extending rearwardly from the cross head diagonally thereof, and having a side face formed with a recess terminating adjacent the rear side of the cross head, the corresponding side face of the cross head having a longitudinally extending seat formed therein, a rack extending longitudinally vin said seat, an adjustable jaw having a cross head and a nut engaging lip projecting forward- 1y therefrom, the cross head of the adjustable jaw being slidably received in the seat and having its outer face formed with a transversely extending groove, an opening being formed intermediate the length of the groove and exposing a portion of the rack, a latch extending longitudinally in said groove and having its intermediate portion inwardly thickened and formed with teeth to engage the rack and secure the adjustable jaw in a set position,'a pivot pin extending through the forward end portion of said latch to pivotally mount the latch, the forward end of the latch having a flat diagonally extending inner face, a spring in said groove engaging the flat face of the latch and yieldably NAPOLEON R. RIVERS. 120. 

